The 9th annual Inspire Awards ceremony will be hosted by the SAISD Foundation at the Witte Museum's Mays Family Event Center on Wednesday, Oct. 2. The event honors SAISD alumni and educators whose leadership and ability to make a difference are inspiring examples for students.
A reception and silent auction will begin at 6 p.m. and the awards presentation will start at 7 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased on the SAISD Foundation website.
The Honoree Class of 2019 includes the following individuals:
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State Representative Diego Bernal, Jefferson High School alumnus: Bernal serves as vice chairman of the House Committee on Public Education and played a major role in revamping the way the state funds its schools.
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Founder and CEO Yvonne “Bonnie” Garcia of MarketVision, Burbank High School alumnus: Garcia established one of the leading multicultural marketing agencies in the United States, which caters to the rapidly growing Hispanic market.
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President and CEO Paula Gold-Williams of CPS Energy, Sam Houston High School alumnus: For the past 30 years, Gold-Williams has been an award-winning business leader and currently leads more than 3,000 CPS employees with the vision, “People First.”
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Chairman Emeritus Cosmo F. Guido of Guido Construction, Jefferson High School alumnus: A believer in quality craftsmanship, Guido was a mainstay in the family business, which has played an important role in shaping the city’s landscape.
An Innovation Award also will be presented to the
Elementary Strings program. Six music teachers will be recognized for initiating the program at 10 SAISD campuses. Their love for music and inspiring students to learn string instruments is contributing to a rise in student participation in Fine Arts programs in SAISD.
The Inspire Awards sponsor is the SAISD Foundation, with proceeds supporting teacher grants and student enrichment opportunities. The SAISD Foundation has awarded more than 1,000 teacher grants to support innovation in the classroom. Annually, the foundation reinvests $3.5 million in District strategic initiatives to support student success.